Students who want to tour 26.2 miles of Philadelphia the hard way are in for a treat this weekend. Around 9,000 runners will participate in the Philadelphia Marathon this Sunday, running through University City, past the Liberty Bell, through Penn's Landing and along the Schuylkill River before finally ending up at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

According to Alison Stones, Wharton may have a thing or two to learn from the medieval clergymen who founded the Santiago pilgrimage. Santiago managed to attract pilgrims from across Europe to see relics that didn't even exist. "It is absolutely fascinating how they successfully launched a commercial venture," she said.

Top area high-school students matched wits in a verbal battle on campus last night. The prize: $5,000 and a trip to the National Vocabulary Championship in New York. But Central High School junior Hannah Zickgraf proved too tough for her competitors. The event was run by the Game Show Network, which brought Dylan Lane - host of the Chain Reaction game show - along with giant TV screens, computerized podiums and an elaborate stage and lighting set-up to Harrison Auditorium in the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Last year, two students were arrested during Alpha Chi Omega's Big Man on Campus fundraiser. This year, the only law-enforcement officers who showed up - not counting security guards - were sorority sisters running the "Prison Break"-themed competition. A year after the annual fundraiser to raise money for Women Against Abuse ended in run-ins between students and police, this year's event was entertaining but safe.

For the 2 to 3 percent of students who seek the help of Counseling and Psychological Services at Penn and are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the illness is not something to ignore. A panel discussion about the disorder, held in Logan Hall last night before an audience of around 60, sought to dispel common myths surrounding it.

The University of Delaware is courting Wharton Dean Patrick Harker to be its next president, current Delaware President David Roselle has confirmed. Harker, who has been on the Wharton faculty for over 20 years, visited the Delaware campus yesterday and met with administrators

When Rocky Balboa is taking sides, you know this week's casino hearings are going to be a battle of heavyweights. On Monday, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board started hearing final proposals from the 13 groups vying for five licenses to operate slots parlors in the state.

Americans can't count on the profit-driven food industry to address the U.S. obesity epidemic, Michele Simon, a public-health lawyer, said last night. Major food companies are pretending to be "part of the solution," when they actually lobby against sound nutrition policies, she said.

The InterFraternity Council elected Wharton junior Austin Pena as its next president last night. Pena, who serves as the president of Tau Epsilon Phi, spoke with The Daily Pennsylvanian about his plans for the IFC, which is the governing body for the majority of Penn's fraternities.

An exhibit by disadvantaged community members has drawn interest - and some bids for the art.

Everyone between the ages of 13 and 55 should get routine HIV tests, Student Health Service Director Evelyn Wiener said yesterday, and Penn has an obligation to help out. Penn offers free HIV testing, Wiener said, and she encouraged community members to take advantage.

The Division of Public Safety has issued a crime alert in response to a robbery several weeks ago. Officials say a robbery occurred at about 11:20 p.m. Oct. 31 outside of Brownie's Bar on South 38th Street. The victim was then forced to withdraw $400 from his ATM account, officials say.

If you're afraid drunken Facebook photos and scandalous YouTube footage will scare employers away, here's a site that says it will come to your rescue. ReputationDefender.com, co-founded in the spring by 2004 Penn alumnus Ross Chanin, is an online service that searches the Internet for references to its clients.

A year after students clashed with police and two were arrested at a popular sorority event, organizers are taking steps to avoid a repeat incident.

Kentucky Derby-winner Barbaro is resting comfortably in the intensive-care unit of Penn's New Bolton Center after having the cast removed from his right leg on Nov. 6. Barbaro - a thoroughbred racehorse who fractured his leg severely during the Preakness in May - has defied the odds over the courses of his arduous recovery.

Controversial British writer Melanie Phillips said multiculturalism and the appeasement of Islam will spell the destruction of Western civilization last night. The solution, she said, is to defend "our culture" by cracking down on what is taught by Muslim extremists in Western nations.

Just when we thought we were safe, our friendly neighbor to the north revealed it has more on its mind than Mounties and maple syrup. Canadian universities are increasingly courting American students - and a growing number of them are zipping up their snowsuits at top Canadian schools.